The problem of ski equipment theft is thoroughly discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,675, granted Nov. 28, 1967 to Joanne M. Quiqq. Such patent also includes a discussion of some prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,675, the various reference patents which are listed therein, and the following additional U.S. Patents disclose several types of security devices or locks which have been corporated into ski poles: U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,333, granted Jan. 10, 1967 to Robert C. Schwedt and Edward A. Atwill; U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,585, granted Aug. 15, 1967 to Bruce D. Stratton and U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,904, granted Aug. 19, 1975, to George H. Drimhall.
These patents and the following additional patents relating to lock mechanisms of the type which includes some sort of tie line should be carefully considered for the purpose of putting the present invention into proper perspective relative to the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 563,414, granted July 7, 1996 to Charles N. Richardson; U.S. Pat. No. 1,724,835, granted Aug. 13, 1929 to Gilbert W. Goodridge; U.S. Pat. No. 2,186,456, granted Jan. 9, 1940, to Donald Gordon; U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,195, granted Dec. 28, 1948, to Joseph C. Bagnall, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,488,984, granted Nov. 22, 1949 to Fern R. Pennington; U.S. Pat. No. 2,508,302, granted May 16, 1950 to Tryggve B. Stue, and Swiss Pat. No. 243,551, patented July 31, 1946.